Gor Mahia Football Club has once again plunged itself into controversy following the confirmation of Hon. Eliud Owalo as the club’s substantive patron. The announcement, made through a press release dated November 9, 2025, and signed by Chairman Ambrose Rachier, has drawn sharp criticism from members and football observers who see the move as unconstitutional and yet another abuse of power by the Executive Committee (EC).

The club’s constitution leaves no ambiguity on how a patron should be appointed. Article 8(1) explicitly states that “The Board of Trustees shall appoint the Patron and elect one of them to be their Chairman.” Furthermore, Article 7(ii) adds that “The five members of the Board of Trustees shall be nominated for approval by the AGM and serve for an initial period of seven years renewable at the AGM.” With no active Board of Trustees currently in place, the EC’s confirmation of Hon. Owalo as patron is not only irregular but a direct violation of the constitution that governs the club’s operations.

This act continues a worrying pattern of the club’s leadership disregarding the rules that bind it. Earlier this year, Gor Mahia was fined KSh 300,000 by the Football Kenya Federation (FKF) after chaotic scenes during a match against Bidco. The incident, which saw teargas fired into the stands and stadium property destroyed, was traced to poor security coordination. It later emerged that the club had replaced a certified Safety and Security Officer (SSO) with an unqualified individual-contrary to CAF’s requirement that only certified SSOs can oversee match security.

Such decisions paint a picture of a management structure that routinely undermines professionalism and accountability. Article 4(iv) of the Gor Mahia constitution obligates the club “to align its operations and mandates to the provisions of the Sports Act, FKF Rules and Regulations, CECAFA, CAF, and FIFA statutes.” Yet, by ignoring both internal governance processes and external regulatory frameworks, the EC continues to steer the club away from lawful and transparent management.

Beyond constitutional violations, the confirmation of the patron without consulting the club’s members is deeply disrespectful to the spirit of democracy within Gor Mahia. The Annual General Meeting (AGM), as the supreme decision-making body, is empowered to nominate and approve the members of the Board of Trustees. Only then does the Board have the authority to appoint a patron. By bypassing the AGM, the EC has silenced the membership and stripped supporters of their constitutional right to participate in key decisions that shape their club’s leadership.

This unilateral approach exposes a leadership style more focused on consolidating control than building institutional integrity. The patron’s position, traditionally meant to inspire stability and unity, now risks becoming a symbol of executive impunity. Regardless of Hon. Owalo’s profile or goodwill, his appointment cannot be legitimate if it originates from a process that disregards the constitution.

What Gor Mahia urgently needs is not another political or symbolic appointment, but a return to lawful governance. The club must convene an AGM to nominate and approve a legitimate Board of Trustees, after which a lawful patron can be appointed. The current appointment should be suspended until those steps are completed. In addition, structural reforms must be introduced to align the club’s operations with the Sports Act, CAF, FKF, and FIFA statutes, and to ensure accountability from the Executive Committee, particularly on past violations related to security management and administrative conduct.

Unless corrective action is taken, Gor Mahia risks further institutional decay. The club’s proud history, built over decades of passion, struggle, and triumph, cannot continue to be undermined by leaders who disregard the very laws that safeguard its legacy. The supporters who fill the stands week after week deserve better,leadership grounded in transparency, respect for the constitution, and accountability to the people who make Gor Mahia what it is.

The time has come for the EC to stop treating the club as personal property and start running it as the respected football institution it was meant to be.